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This is a forum for attendees and speakers, as well as Manager Tools followers who are interested in discussing and learning more about our exciting new event! I will be visiting the forums on a regular basis to answer your questions, provide assistance and collect your thoughts and ideas. Remember that this event was created to serve YOU, our audience, so comment at will! I look forward to hearing you all contribute!

 

ssentes's picture
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Hey Andrew, I haven't talked to you since you were back at Mandalay Bay, congrats on the move. Looking forward to actually meeting you in person at the M Conference... maybe you can sell me on the finer points of bringing an MT Public Conference event to Vegas...

A. Spillman's picture
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Sarah,

This article was in my morning briefing. Perfect timing. 

https://www.meetingstoday.com/magazines/article-details/articleid/33928/title/las-vegas-meetings-highlights

- Andrew

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Hello Everyone,

I am Alexander Daskalow, father of two boys (2 and 7 year old)  living and working in Charlotte, NC. I was born and raised in Berlin, Germany and originally came to North Carolina to study and play Lacrosse (that is my Canada connection!) but ended up staying here for good. 

I work for Teguar Corporation. We manufacture industrial and medical computers in Taiwan and China and market them worldwide. We are a smaller organization (~30 employees) and I am proud to say that I was there from the start.

Like many others, I started listening to MT podcasts on my commute around 2007. As I have told the MT team many times, I feel like I owe a significant part of my success to their guidance. 

I am very much looking forward to meeting everyone!

Alex

ssentes's picture
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Lacrosse may be slightly more imporant, but also attending the EMC and ECC hosted by our only Canadian presenter is a close second! I look foward to seeing you again, Alex!

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Hi everybody,

I'm Stephen Hall from Chattanooga, Tennessee, where I serve as an IT Infrastructure director at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. While at BlueCross, I married my wife of now 10 years and became the proud father of two girls (8 and 7) and a boy (5).

I hold a bachelor's degree in mathematics and have always enjoyed "solving problems". Prior to entering management I finally realized that my individual ability to solve problems (as a software developer) would never come close to what could be achieved as a group. My ongoing desire to be a part of ever-bigger challenges is what has fueled me to move into management, take on additional responsibilities and move departments as I learn to coach my teams to success after success that they can (rightly so) claim as their own!

Any measure of success I've had as a manager I solely attribute to Manager Tools' superior guidance. It has been a lifesaver! I was first introduced to MT in 2011 but it wasn't until 2014 that I could put it into practice. Since then, weekly O3s and candid feedback have been my go-to staples for day-to-day management with coaching and delegation being areas I'm still working to use effectively. MT's guidance has been so helpful for me that I am actually starting this week with coaching several of my skips using Mark's book, "The Effective Manager". I am incredibly excited about what this has the potential to do for my organization and the positive impact it will have on the daily lives of those who work in my area.

When I'm not managing my team at work I enjoy my days at home filled with parenting, cooking, DIY projects and amatuer astronomy. The odd mathematics or physics problem continues to intrigue me on occasion as well.

See everyone in Dallas this October as we are challenged in the lifelong pursuit that is effective management!

  -Stephen

 

ssentes's picture
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Wow, it's a big week for you, leveraging the tool of Coaching to grow your folks! I sometimes hear from people at our public conferences that it's the trickiest tool to learn at a distance (ie. from a book or a cast) so kudos to you for not letting that stop you. If you're interested at the M Conference one of us would be happy to sit down and take a peek at an actual Coaching plan that you have on the go, add thoughts and ideas, see if we can assist!

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Hi Everyone,

I’m Dan West from California. A small bit about myself -

I’ve been managing for roughly 17 years. I jumped to Apple 13 years ago to manage a small team in Hardware Engineering. Over the years, I’ve developed a reputation for 1) developing people, 2) creating technical depth within the organization and 3) improving the output/impact of the teams that I manage. A lot of my success is directly related to what I’ve learned from Mark, Mike and the rest of the MT team. Since starting at Apple with a team of ~8 it’s grown to ~550. Some of that was hiring, but the vast majority of it has been absorbing other groups.

On the personal side, my wife and I will be celebrating our 21st anniversary soon. Additionally, our daughter is in the midst of the college application process. That process is more stressful than anything I ever remember doing when I was her age. For stress relief, I play ice hockey and I’m just starting to get into golf. 

If I can be of any assistance to any of you, reach out to me directly on LinkedIn. Be sure you tell me your from the M Conference or the response will be *very* slow. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone there.

-Dan

www.linkedin.com/in/westdan

ssentes's picture
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Hey Dan, looking forward to meeting you in person at the M Conference. I'll do my best to assist you in building your reputaton over at Apple, when I'm in London next week. Developing people and improving the output/impact of your teams, pretty stellar things to be known for!

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Hello all-

Chris White here. Looooong time MT student. Still have the Lands End bag from Chicago Mar 2008! And, really looking forward to the M Conference.

I am a VP for a $18M Landscape Design/Build/Maintain firm near Cleveland/Akron, Ohio. I have been landscaping since 1988 and really love the industry, the people, and the nature aspect. Managing is obviously a big part of it, too.

On a personal level: Marathon Runner, Musician (guitar) and Music Lover, Browns Fan. I'm still with my high school sweetheart and together we helped two girls make it to adulthood. Two Labrador Retrievers round out our family.

See you soon!

Chris

7117

 

ssentes's picture
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When I read that I nearly fell off my chair laughing, I have a ton of brand-new and never-been-used bags so if you need a new old bag let me know and I'll throw it in my suitcase for you! Look forward to meeting you, Chris!

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Howdy! My name is Justin Bethancourt, and I will be coming to the conference from Houston, TX.  I work in the oil and gas industry as an engineering supervisor and have been listening to Manager Tools guidance since 2009.  Manager Tools first hit my radar screen thanks to a weekly e-mail from the iTunes store.  When I first started listening, the traffic in Jakarta, Indoesia allowed me to get a full podcast in every time I needed to drive somewhere.  When our boys (now ages 16, 16, 16, 14) got into elementary school we felt ready to leave behind the domestic help in Indonesia and return to Houston.  Since returning state-side, the oil and gas business has taken us to North Dakota, Midland, TX, and then back to Houston.  

Without Manager Tools, I would have been lost making the transition from Engineer to Supervisor.  What I have learned has allowed me to master Results + Retention.  My hope is that the M Conference can prepare me for the next step in my career.  Look forward to meeting y'all there.

Justin

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Hello everyone! I'm Scott Beardsley from Little Rock, Arkansas. My wife and I have 2 children, 12 and 14.  I spend lots of time driving and attending Junior High events.  

I'm an 8 year listener and was at a Manager Tools conferece in NJ when an earthquake hit while Mark was talking. You can fill in your joke about that scenario.   

I'm the Head of Public FInance for Crews & Assoicates, a regional broker-dealer.   My team of analyst and bankers work with governemental bodies when they issue bonds.  We serve higher ed, k-12, counties, cities, etc.  My favorite part of the job is attending the opening of a new school that we have played a small part in helping come to fruition. 

I'm looking forward to meeting eveyone in Dallas.

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Hi all,

I am coming in a little late with my introduction. But I am here and very excited to be part of this group.

I work for a large company that does contract clinical research for pharmaceutical and medical device industry. However, I do not do any of that - I lead a small team that does market research and data analytics supporting the commercialization and outcomes division (how to get the products to market post approval). I was first introduced to manager tools by one of my direct reports a little over 10 years ago and have been a member ever since. It has helped me (and my team) change roles, change jobs, survive layoffs, manage poor performers and hire successfully. Thank you Mark and Mike and the rest of your team!

Earlene

ses's picture
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Greetings, all.

Susan Sons here from Bloomington, Indiana.  I've been using Manager Tools for a bit over five years since I was introduced to it by my current supervisor.  It's made life much better for me and those who put up with me as I've made the transition from engineer to manager.  When I'm not at work managing information security research and operations teams, I spend my time hiking, boardgaming, dancing, writing, adventuring, and hanging out with my family.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!

Susan

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Hi everyone -- really looking forward to the M Conference next week!

I lead an Electrical Engineering organization for L3Harris where I get to work with super talented Engineers who produce cutting edge technology.  Just last month I moved from Colorado Springs to Melbourne, FL.

I found out about MT back in 2015 when my org grew about 10x literally overnight after a merger.  A friend at the time introduced me to the podcasts and I was hooked the first week.  I finally had a roadmap of something that would not only make me a better manager, it was also a tool for coaching the managers who reported to me.  I’ve since brought Manager Tools onsite to my company three times for conferences – always to rave reviews!

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Hi All. I’m David Johanson.

I’ve been in the civil engineering field for the last 20 years. I began my career working for a consultant designing small to moderately sized roadway and intersection projects. About 5 years ago I began working on industrial rail design. Our clients are large rail shippers, such as aggregate suppliers and chemical companies.

Through my career I’ve worked for small (100 people or fewer) and mid-sized engineering consulting firms (100-500). I currently work for a multidiscipline engineering services frim Hanson Professional Services, Inc. which has about 450 people in offices throughout the US.

I’ve been managing design projects (with fees between $10k and $2M) for the last 15 years.  Currently, my position is discipline manager for logistics where I am managing 7 direct reports; in addition to ongoing project management responsibilities. I am new to having direct reports (about 6 months), and have recently implement one-on-ones, and the feedback model.

My manager introduced me to the Manager Tools Podcast about 7 years ago, and I’ve listened to many of the episodes and appreciate the great information.

My wife and I live in the far northwestern Chicago suburb of Woodstock, Illinois with our three children (13, 11, and 9). Fun fact about Woodstock Illinois, it was the stand-in for Punxsutawney, PA for the movie Groundhog Day.

I enjoy playing games with my kids, home brewing beer (when I can find a block of time), and playing basketball with other old men every Sunday evening.

I am looking forward meeting and networking with other M-Tools users. See you in Dallas!

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Hello from San Diego!  I’m really looking forward to the upcoming M Conference.

I am currently a senior systems engineer at a Navy Research & Development (R&D) Lab that is in the process of transitioning to a Warfare Center.  

I have been part of the Manager Tools (MT) community since 2005. I was very lucky to attend the first MT conference in Washington DC area in 2007, and the first Effective Communications conference in San Antonio, TX in 2008.  I used MT daily as a project manager from 2005 until 2013. Since then most of my MT focus has been: encouraging others within my organization; mentoring; getting MT training delivered to our workforce; supporting having Mark keynote some annual training events for our project managers and supervisors; and a lot of “peer” 1on1s.  I am also a David Allen Getting Things Done (GTD) advocate, and have been certified to teach GTD within my organization since Spring of 2018.

My wife Christy and I have three kids: Conrad (20), Spencer (18), and Carson (16). I enjoy podcasting, technology, music, training for and doing Sprint Triathlons, and being involved in our local church.

 

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I apologize for let late posting. Waiting for a flight to DFW, excited for M Conference. My name is Nathaniel Long but I go by Nate. My boss introduced me to MT in about 2008 and I've been an huge fan since. It was great listening to podcasts at the same time as your boss and knowing exactly what he was doing as he made management changes. I went to an EMC/ECC, I believe it was the last one Mark did with Dani to train her up on doing them solo. I even have my own personal hall of fame podcast list which is mostly MT.  

I am Director of Manufacturing Engineering for a tissue / medical device / biologics company, Axogen. Our focus is peripherial nerve repair. I've been in tissue / medical device / biologics for almost 14 years. Prior to that I was with General Motors pre-production operations. Implementing MT in my daily management and teaching others has been a boon to my career that I can't explain. 

I've been married for 12 years with 3 amazing kids. I've taken Mark's advice loosely paraphrased that work life balance is a farce. Set your priorities (e.g. work, family, hobbies), communicate with those in your life on what's important and how to schedule it, and , schedule your priorities. Great advice that led to frequent communication with my wife and I that allows me to work hard and always be there for her and the kids. 

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Hi folks!
 
I’m Krischelle Love (7514) from California. I manage the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program at San Jose Water, which provides the apps and data that our operating folks need to bring safe, reliable drinking water into 1 million+ people’s homes. I also manage the GIS program for Canyon Lake Water, our partner in central Texas, and am navigating my first merger/acquisition (currently in progress) with Connecticut Water.
 
My manager introduced me to MT just over 3 years ago when I was first promoted from an individual contributor to a “supervisor” - with zero direct reports! Since then, I’ve used MT guidance to recruit and hire 2 directs and just recently absorbed my peer and his directs. It’s a small group in a small company, but you could say my impact is quite far-reaching if you measured things geographically as I do. ;-)
 
Around the same time I got into MT, I earned another promotion to Mom, with now 2 direct reports: ages 3 and 1. My husband works at Apple and I introduced him to MT as well, so you can imagine our dinner table conversations are really exciting! (Our kids are both high D’s, too, and it’s occasionally terrifying.)
 
I attended EMC and ECC with Sarah in 2018 and the inaugural EHMC with Mark, Sarah, and Kate in March. Aside from hiring 2 of my own directs, I helped hire one of my peers following the MT process and am starting to get a reputation as a hire-r for hire. (Thanks, Mark!)
 
I really enjoy helping people solve problems by finding connections between things that don’t seem related at first. I used to moonlight tutoring kids to scratch this itch back when I joined my company as an intern 8 years ago and it was just a J-O-B, and now I have this great career where I get to do it all day long thanks in large part to Manager Tools.
 
I’d love to find people to chat with about any of these topics while we’re here together: 
 
- Managing big changes with extremely change-averse populations
- Reframing technology for Luddites and technophobes
- Anything DISC related! (This is pure fun, but also extremely helpful.)
- Prioritizing initiatives in a target-rich environment
- How to change behaviors and expectations to improve company culture (tactical & strategic discussion welcome!)
- Growing as a manager and as an employee at the same time
- Grooming a successor
 
If anyone is around for dinner tonight, I’d love company. You can message me or just say hello if you see me - I’m not hard to spot with my blue and red hair!
 
Krischelle 
www.linkedin.com/in/krischellelove

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Howdy! My name is Phil Beyer. I live in Round Rock, TX (suburb of Austin) with my wife of 14 years and six children (13, 12, 9, 7, 5, 2). We love our **very** active home!! :D
 
Despite procrastinating on this post, I assure you I'm overwhelmingly excited to be able to meet every one of you this week! MT transformed my professional life and accelerated my career when I started listening 8 years ago. I heard an interview with Mark on another podcast and was instantly hooked. I had been floundering as a first-time manager for a few months and, practically overnight, felt I was equipped to actually do the job.
 
I decided to attend because I'm preparing for the next phase of my career. I aspire to be an effective executive.
 
Today, I'm part of an information security team in a financial services company, Global Payments. I love the challenge of defending against determined attackers and evolving threats.
 
Outside our home and the office, I've trained in a variety of martial arts for ~20 years, and I love long-distance running.
 
https://linkedin.com/in/pjbeyer
 
Phil
 

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All skill levels and speeds are welcome! Distance is negotiable. ;)

I'll be headed out around 5:15am tomorrow. If great Texas weather and fun conversation aren't good enough reasons, consider it a way to generate the energy you'll need for a productive conference!!

Phil

 

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